474 
ATPENDIX. 
war ; that this, and an ancient weapon which had been in the family of Pehi 
Turoa for nearly a dozen generations, were sent as tokens of their love to Her 
Majesty, and proofs they were no longer enemies, but friends. The Queen 
put ma ny questions relative to the presents. She took up the bag, and 
inquired what it was made of, and whether it was manufactured by a machine. 
I stated that it was done by hand. She again asked whether some instrument 
had not been used. I assured her it was done entirely with the fingers, 
and pointed out that both sides were alike, and that it was very tedious work, 
having taken more than a year. The Prince examined the mats, talked about 
the flax, and thought it might be prepared by acids. This, I said, had 
been tried, and not found to answer, as it decomposed the fibre. He remarked 
it was wrongly called a flax. I replied that it belonged to the asphodelece. 
Sir W. Molesworth remarked that New Zealand flax had been found upon trial 
to be capable of sustaining a much greater weight than the Russian, which the 
Prince assented to. 
The Queen particularly admired the green stone Mere, and took it up several 
times : she inquired the use of it. I told Her Majesty it was used not only as a 
sceptre, but to put an end to uuruly subjects. She smiled, and asked how it 
was used for that purpose. I placed it in Hipango’s hands, and he explained 
that they did not strike with it lengthways, but pushed it into the side of the 
skull. The Prince remarked that they were acquainted with the soft parts 
of the head. She also took up the ancient weapon of Pehi, and said it 
did not appear a very dangerous one. I told her that it easily fractured 
the skull. She said, then they must fight very close, and take hold 
of each other’s hair. I replied, that was precisely the way they formerly 
fought. The Queen asked the Chief if he had eaten the Kiwi. He 
answered, no ; he was a coast native, and the bird was only found in the 
interior. I replied, that I had repeatedly eaten it. She inquired whether it was 
good eating. I said it was, and that it tasted more like flesh than fowl. I 
beckoned to Hoani Wiremu to speak ; he said that from the first coming of the 
Europeans he had been their friend; and after lie embraced the Christian faith 
he felt they were one with him; that he had always been attached to Her 
Majesty, as she was the Defender of the Faith. The Queen smiled ; she bid 
me assure him that she had always the welfare of the New Zealand race at heart, 
and also commanded me, when I returned to New Zealand, to make her senti¬ 
ments known to all the tribes. Her Majesty desired me to write every particular 
of each present, and label them; that she should send them to Windsor, to be 
laid up in her Armoury. 
Te Hipango began speaking again. Her Majesty, however, thinking she had 
honored us with a sufficiently long audience, made us a very graceful bow and 
retired, turning round and bowing again, and, as she entered the next room, 
making a third bow. The Prince also gave a slight one. Thus ended our 
audience. 
After the Queen had retired to an inner room, we remained with Sir W. 
Molesworth, and wrote the names and particulars of each article, which were then 
severally attached to them. Hoani said he did not know it was the Queen, and 
scolded me for not telling him ; the fact was, she came in in such an unostenta¬ 
tious way, with so little appearance of State, that he might easily be mistaken. 
Her Majesty and the Prince stood the whole time ; indeed, we were all in one 
group. She remained about twenty minutes j we then took our departure, and 
so terminated our interview. 
We have been permitted to see, in the person of a good-natured, sweet- 
toned, nice-looking little lady, the head of the first empire in tho world, and 
therefore must ever consider it one of the most interesting days of our life. At 
tho palace door our cab drovo up, we were handed in, and drovo off, thus 
bidding the palace adieu, and ending our first, and, in all probability, our last, 
